Normally, I wouldn’t begin with an “I told you so…” But this is a BIGGY. Because it’s a splendid example of how you can sit out in the backwoods of East Texas and figure out things long before the rest of the world.
In the beginning, there was Social Media. It sounded like fun, although to us it was very similar to a digital Hoola Hoop with a side order of Citizen’s Band Radio. Touch of slinky, too.
Then the Social Media outfits went public. Somewhere along in here, they seem to have discovered that shareholders don’t just want to be fractional owners of the biggest time-sink in this quadrant of the Universe…they actually want some money coming in.
So the Socialists (if I can call them that without confusing the Bernie Bunch) decided they would sell ads. And some, like Facebook, decided that they would charge to send your clever posts to your friends. Oh, sure, a few free, but for business users, who had shifted their customers off their own platforms, there was the ugly realization that they had just allowed their very own customers to be held hostage. Boost your post simply means you will have to pay to communicate your message. Social began a ransome game. Which we dutifully covered in detail on our www.peoplenomics.com subscriber side. (Subscribers, see Dec. 18, 2013 Issue 641-A)
The “Time Circular Business Model” involves giving away huge amounts of “product” free to get billions trained to use the product. Then, perhaps years later, up go the prices.
Eventually people figure it out (the “no free lunch part:) and the ugly truth of social as perhaps just a fad begins to leak out in the financial press.
Which brings us to this morning and CNBC:
People are spending much less time on social media apps: Report
OK, we were early and yes, we didn’t participate in the couple of good runs that Social media has had.
On the other hand, I am still looking askance at the whole “app” market. A short story to illustrate why.
Elaine and I went to lunch last week after our millionth eye doctor visit and we were gleefully prodded by our server to “Be sure and download our app!”
As he went on to the next table, and more app-a-teasing, Elaine asked a very useful question: “It’s a restaurant, for God’s sake…why do I need an app to eat here?”
It is questioning the prevailing outbreak of social/mental illness like this that keeps us returning to the deep woods where such idiocy can’t sneak up on us — without us popping off a few rounds in its direction first.
For those who missed the first 10 years of UrbanSurvival, where we invented things like bug-out bags and such, the essence of Survival is not going with the herd…especially when they get stupid.
You have only two modes in life during your waking hours: You are making money or you are spending money.
I figure if you are spending money, you ought to get something you really love. The beautiful bride, the stately auto, the old airplanem the expansive grounds, and the treatment for such delusions.
Answer me this: Why does anyone buy a data plan so they can download an app that let’s me “reserve a table” in a restaurant that is half-empty? If it is full, I’m fine having a cold one in the bar…honest!
Do my Doctors need an app? No, they know how to use phones. My dentist’s front desk seems to actually like to banter a bit when they call. It’s fun. It’s human. Remember: Extra nitrous…
Recall the experience of my buddy Oilman2: 24 year old son’s friend with a thousand some Likes left social completely and not a single personal email. Yet he doesn’t go into Tractor Supply in Grapeland, Texas for 7 days and the checkout folks want to know if everything is OK. Did something happen?
Again: Social = Useless. Local Humans? Genuinely involved and concerned.
I will continue to hold this contrarian view of Social and “app building” because we don’t buy cell time to support Zuke Markerberg or whoever. Our readers can issue poison pen rejoinders here all day long…and if there’s monetizing to be done, it will pay for cat food for our editor Zeus the Cat.
Yes, we have an Android phone. But our data use on that? Only to check stocks and update the www.iflygps.com weather and TFR data.
Other than that, the smartest thing our phone does is call people when we feel like talking. Otherwise, it is blissfully non-invasive.
Smart Phones? Well, turns ouyt they are a bit smarter than many owner’s I’m afraid. And pay for a phone to run an app to do something that was already working fine and was free?
You taken a pee test lately, Bubba?
When Social Pays Me for all my clever posts (which they can sell ads for) then I will get interested. That’d be a fine and new level of Ponzi scheme.
For now, digital hoola hoops don’t work…and today, at long last, a batch of data seems to indicate not everyone in America is as stupid as promoters (and the presidential hopefuls) thought.
Go read: Why is Facebook trying to force you to use its Messenger app?
You know there is an ETF that plays in this field, right? Symbol is SOCL and the ETF chart is over here. What I want to find is a bear-side fund of Social. I think a name like Anti-Social would be cool although most of the abbreviations are already taken…
I’m going to take a handful of meds now and see if I can make it through the rest of the drivel before I explode.
Thank you.
Lets Talk Productivity and Costs, Then…
Cool…here’s a press release…
“Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased at a 0.6-percent annual rate during the first quarter of 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, as output increased 0.9 percent and hours worked increased 1.5 percent. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual rates.)
From the first quarter of 2015 to the first quarter of 2016, productivity increased 0.7 percent. (See table A.)
Labor productivity, or output per hour, is calculated by dividing an index of real output by an index of hours worked of all persons, including employees, proprietors, and unpaid family workers.
Measures released today were based on more recent source data than were available for the preliminary report.
Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 4.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016, reflecting a 3.9-percent increase in hourly compensation and a 0.6-percent decline in productivity. Unit labor costs increased 3.0 percent over the last four quarters.”
What does it mean? Well, the market was up 40-something earlier. I keep waiting for a pullback – but sure as I exit a short position, the bottom will fall out from under.
Still, as previously noted, the Fed has endorsed President Clinton II. Although not formally, you can see it in Easy Money Janet’s jawboning the markets higher. And you can see it in the Fed H.6 Money Stocks report where the printers are working extra shifts. At some point, all this easy money will slosh into the market, stock will rise, not so much because of traditional valuation rules, but because there’s nowhere else to shove it, except into mattresses.
Which Means Hil Will Beat Bernie
Oh, not that I would wish such a thing…Gushy Cali (Caligush) reports like Bill Clinton Block Party Overtook Telegraph This Morning seem to abound. Along with stories anointing Her. The Left has done all but administer the Oath of Office while blaming Trump for their $15/hour paid agitators found on CraigsList.
Meantime, while Trump is asking why it’s OK for the judge in the Trump University case to belong to La Raza (the race), the fact of Hil’s Bill being paid $16-million by a for-profit school group doesn’t seem to matter. An d sure, “Hillary Clinton Emails Reveal More Shameless Cronyism…”
But hey, this is Election Day in California, so let’s not confuse anyone with facts, shall we? That would set a dangerous precedent.
Besides, with Obama pardon’s Snowden which we’re predicting, it will swamp Hil’s emails…and she will be anointed on schedule.
You just missed the memo.
Winds of Change Change of Winds
Tropical Storm Colin bypasses SC, for now. Good..be gone.
And now for something completely different… I think I will go see an eye doctor…
Social media: It’s all about collecting data (big data) to sell us stuff; and, perhaps, to classify EVERYONE into categories, the better to rule.
No arguing that. It is also there to replace spirituality and actual living relationships.
Here’s to hoping you exit your short first, as I know my exit will run the market up more than yours. If I could only get the timing right.
LOL
John
I meant run the market down. No wonder I never get rich.
J
Self employed with no corporation makes you a foreigner in your country’s economic system.
No apps on your smartphone makes you a foreigner in your own culture. It’s not a phone, George, it’s a handheld computer, and if you bought a high end model, it has more computing power than your desktop did seven years ago. Question I gotta ask, is what are you doing on your computer that you were not doing seven years ago? I replaced 14 devices with my iPhone. Put them on the table at the garage sale and they went out the door. No more batteries, no more charging cords, no more tiny switches, it’s all right there in my hand. Until you have found at least a dozen apps that improve your life, you are still in flip phone territory.
Trading in the markets without a computerized algorithm makes you a foreigner in that casino too. What is it now, 90% of all trades are now computer to computer, and 60% of them never close? If you are not averaging $500 a trading day profits, you are not really in that game.
Next will be the overwhelm you will feel when you try to catch up on all the maintenance you were unable to do because of your doctoring. Hopefully, not another injury as you hurry to “catch up.” And if you don’t need to catch up, what was the point in the first place?
http://www.tsu.co/ is a social site that claims to pay posters based on their original content. It was invite only at first, but I anyone may be able to sign up now. I haven’t checked the details on ‘pay out per byte’ yet, but the concept is a refreshing contrast. Nonetheless, Markerberg will likely try to squash/stomp/buy them out at some point if they so much as hint at success with their user-benefactor business model.
Ok George, after reading this Mornings’ ‘Rant’ Against Anything ‘Non Ure Conforming’- I have decided to, for the 2nd. AND Last time to say Adieu, Howdi OAS, and hasta la wago- to your morning ‘Come to Hate Demos’ blog!!
I left you a year or so ago because , to me, your path on your blogs seemly were turning more towards political bitching and denouncing of duly elected past and present Democrat Off- putting-icials, rather than what was, and to some degree still- items of Paranormal, Mindful, and Constructive nature!
I wish the best for you as you fight your physical and mental battles hunkered down on your East Texidom Bunker! But continue to hold out hope for your ‘Come 2 Liberal’ moment and that you can lose The Hate!
Thank you for taking the time to misread most of this site. This site is about how everything is a business model and both political parties love to screw us all, vote on bills they don’t read, and nuke third world countries for fun and profit. We don’t hate democrats, we envy their lack of moral character and consistency of thought. We don’t endorse republicans, except as often the lesser of two evils. Then, only if their name isn’t Ryan and they really fight for small, effective, fair government and don’t whore out our jobs and technology to China…I waste my breath.
Come back again, some time – say in a year, or so, when the beloved First Husband and his ruling Spousal unit have orchestrated your replacement by 100 non-English speakers who are coming to take your job and thereafter your head.
We will remain bunkered with the tattered remains of our Constitution.
How to explain simply that when people are coming to rape, pillage, and behead – and they are greeted by sympathizers in Washington that it is NOT HATE?
It’s called Patriotism. It’s defending the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
You might read it sometime. There’s much to be learned from it.
Try it some time. We have much to be proud of and yes, America is exceptional.
Not you, necessarily…but on average.
That reply was better than many a rants…!
George ! you Rock !!
Live long and Grok on..!!
Excess wealth in the hands of a very few people is a big problem, probably the biggest. Bottom-line-itis is killing the planet. One cuts down a priceless forest for short term gain. And these few people have the power to stop this, but they don’t.
And why don’t we at least tax excess wealth? Power is in the hands of the wealthy. Duh. If we the people really want power, then the excess money / wealth problem has to be dealt with. Otherwise, just call yourself the slave serf. Forget the we the people part.
Well said. I have offered many times that we should consider scrapping interest and steal the buy sell concept from Sharia law…because it works. With interest bearing economics, an economy has only two states – advancing and declining. With buy sell, you get rid of the leach class. That and algebra are some very good thoughts to borrow…but not at the price of subjugation which seems to be the administration’s direction
Bernie said it well, they are both evil. you seem to prefer the -more fraudulent- elephant in the china shop.
they are both animals in the china shop, as you say
Hi George,
Begging to differ with you regarding money, there are more than two modes. Of course you can make money or spend money, but the greatest personal utility of time is to create or increase value in your life utilizing the resources that you already have outside the money realm, using money only as a means to optimize these. For example, I spent yesterday mowing my runway and converted it from a derelict field into a landscape that impressed even ME! Total marginal cost – a few gallons of diesel(sunk costs) and a few hours of my time. The tractor and implements(and land) are all sunk costs too. It was rewarding work and is not a taxable event. Another project is building and optimizing attachments for the tractor and renovating a few rooms in the house. These things are rewarding in and of themselves, and if done properly, require very little in actual dollars. The key is to have enough in dollar income and spend the rest of your time optimizing life. Of course, optimizing income is fun too, as long as it’s low stress.
It takes a village to have a Village Idiot
the Big Village called USA may not have another village idiot if predictions hold true. We’ve run out of idiots to anoint or elect.
http://www.unexplainable.net/mysteries/edgar-cayce.php
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2012/11/08/fair-warning-bulgarian-prophet-says-obama-will-be-americas-last-president/
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-li…ee7d4fbc1d
Edgar Cayce did not talk about a Black president or a nuclear option. You notice no reading number is given. Other quotes ARE taken from readings out of context. Best to go right to the source, the ARE and look the world change readings up for yourself.
“Oilman2: 24 year old son’s friend with a thousand some Likes left social completely and not a single personal email.”
Friends and I wonder how many of the ppl on so called ‘socal media’ are real, other than the ones that you know personally? A friend of mine had gone onto one of those ‘hot women’ dating sites and no matter how many replies he got and made to different women, he could never manage to hook up with one. There was always some ‘fail’ point or anohter. It just began to look supicisous to him. Point: he began thinkg that they were all just computer generated responses, as now computers have gained an ability to communicate digitally to completely duplicate a human response in everday convo. The only ‘real’ woman was the one that you actually talked to in cust servc if you c/c was overbilled and even she was just probably lying on a couch at home having the calls transferred to her….. Wonder if its the same for FB and ohter socail media sites. Theres really noone behind the words but silicon…thats why olimans son never got any email goodbyes, there really wanst anyone real there! LOL!!
Thanks George for the tirade on “APPS” . I have a flip style cell phone, (I refuse to carry anything in my pocket that is smarter than I am) with no” apps ” and when I am asked by my local bank, butcher, barber, or brothel for my e-mail address I explain I don’t do the compoooter finger pokey thing. (not to be confused with the finger pokey thing from the 50’s through the 80’s)
George I want to thank you for your very good “Rant” on Social Media today. I think everyone who uses things like Facebook should read that. So I sent an email to most all my many correspondents with a link to your Rant for their illumination. Well said indeed.
Regards,
bill
I finally gave in and got a “smart” phone, a CoolPad Rogue for all of $20.00 at the local WallyWorld. Yes, NOT $200 or $300 or $500 or whatever the going rate is now. TMobile graciously chopped my SIM card down to fit. As I’m on a payasyougo plan at $0.10/minute (and I use about $50 a YEAR), I did not add a data plan. So I only use WiFi (awwww!) for data and I’m satisfied with my Android phone.
As it’s TMobile, it has WiFi calling, so I don’t even use (or need) cellular. I haven’t checked to even see if WiFi calling uses my .10/minute rate… I suspect not… But I could be wrong. I don’t care, did I say my cellular use costs me all of $50.00/year?
It also replaced my defunct Sansa… But I do miss the excellent RockBox software I loaded on the Sansa. The built in player in the Rogue just isn’t as good, but it’s ok for diversion while I excersize if a good live podcast isn’t available or I want to listen to some music.
The phone doesn’t have a lot of memory like the Apple’$ iFone$ do so you can’t load a lot of those APP thingies. I find that TuneIn Radio, Firefox, and $tarbuck$ are all I need, anyway.
Good luck with the peepers. My XYL’s got a procedure coming up at the end of the month, herself.
73,
Good post today George.
I find I am a ‘foreigner’ all the way around according to Ecuador.
Until my comfort zone and trust factor kick in, I fell out of that Matirx box a while ago, by sheer choice and free Will.
No facebook, and until I am forced to join or else shrivel up and blow away- I never intend to join even if they try to force it. I’ll throw out my laptop.
My tracfone is too back woods to do apps that don’t drain battery life and I like that.
My phone is for emergency calling or convenience, not for A.I. lifestyle. Old fashioned perhaps yet it compels me to look into another human’s eyes to communicate.
Its safer when I cross the street too as my face is on the road not in a phone.
Suggestion- read “Confessions of an Economic Hitman” John Perkins.
Once the s**t that hit our fan and stuck to the wall in 2008+ (most likely before too) blows over, then I’ll have more trust in the system- maybe.
Until then Ill keep reading your valuable posts for entertainment and education.
A anyone can make money but only a few can manufacture money, and that is wrong horrify a lot wrong tremendously out of whack which means only the people who aren’t honest get to get to rule comma but then again we could say hey that’s the mindset that’s what they want to be that’s what they want to do they want to rule over you some say hey that’s a capitalistic Society some say hey that’s a business model others say hey we can do better than that because we’ve seen what you have done and this so many people who are being being hurt with your periodic recessions and depressions come we can do better but I’m not sure that’ll happen upon this planet is this planet really that dude where we have to keep going in that direction well there’s always War probably I don’t think it looks stupid because Mars is full of it, what now what is it you’ve learned while you have lived this short life compared to other beings who say hey we’ve never died we’ve always been here and we’ve been here for trillions of years man that can you just imagine the knowledge they have and they’re like hahaha or laughing at you you dumb Orleans we’d like to help you but we haven’t discovered how to do that yet because in your part of the Galaxy there’s two forces hours and there’s and there’s has to do with a lot of Advanced Technologies that are hidden and that suppresses the spirit Soul when it dies so we’re searching and we’re trying and we’re going to send more people or being in your area of the Galaxy so that we can free all of you slaves out there I mean this Source comes from 1947 an alien that was crashed from what do you call that thing a lightning lightning strike Disturbed the magnetic waves in the atmosphere which is what magnetic waves are affected by lightning strikes and also the performance of the vehicle but they all went Crashing Down and since all people will in their case they’re not people they are beings of different ranks which would had to do with physiology because they’re not created equal the commander-in-chief of The Craft has a special body that the soul takes because that’s always really extraordinary and has the ability to leave to another body at any time but rest of the crew antibody that could not survive the crash but as we learned and continue to learn from the past expecially the hidden past that our government and not only our government which is ruled by a few Elite who manufactured the money we find that we are in a predicament and your kids are in a predicament and your grandkids and all of those and all your descendants because of just a few who have manipulated and kept the rest of society from going forward and realizing Their Fear and realizing their full potential
the question is how do you go back after you’ve gone over the edge,? the only thing that seems to help is to go BACK TO THE BASICS
Going back to the basics means changing everything that you’ve been taught to believe and start over with what you have knowing that it can be better than ever before the feeling is a static the feeling is vibrational the feeling is ? you describe the feeling once you get there and I’ll listen
( Holy run-on sentence Batman ! )
Im trying to figure out if Ive had too much to drink tonight or not enough to understand what youre saying Bryce !
The fun option is to go back to the kitchen and get myself a refill….
Heard a story on the radio the other day about an apartment complex requiring it’s residents to like the complex on FB or risk being out of compliance with their lease.
?????
What about the people like me who have never been on FB, even once, and do not have a page to like from ?
Seems there ought to be a law against having to be made to participate in a program that you aren’t already in.
Oh wait, that would go against the spirit of AHA, wouldn’t it ?
So George, what is it, 67 years you’ve been on planet earth? That would be 35 million minutes give or take a couple hundred thousand. You couldn’t possibly have had a “million” eye doctor visits. You would have to have one every 35.2 minutes of your life to accomplish that. And for gawd’s sake, you did not invent bug-out bags. Sheesh! :-)
I just have a flip phone hardly ever use it, not a phone person but my husband loves his smart phone along with my grown children who are on our plan for a whopping $300/month. Really – started cell phone because landlines were getting too expensive – jokes on us. I’d go back to landline in a heart beat for 19.95/month. Wonder if my children would revolt?
Have a 12 yr. old Nokia CELL PHONE – that’s not terribly ‘smart’ but DOES THE JOB when needed (makes calls).
No need for ‘smart’ phones, whatever they are…
No need for social media, but the ladies do like it, don’t they? Almost never touch the stuff –
Now I’ve not seen any claim to back up the ties of this judge to La Raza. The 1st picks on Google lead to http://www.snopes.com/judge-curiel-la-raza-kkk/ and that doesn’t seem to support the claim.
As for “social” – part of how one gets work is via being known socially. The boys over at Art of Charm are FAR stronger believers “in social” than you are Mr. Ure.
But almost ALL advertising is mostly a waste of time and money. And yet, if it was 100% of a waste of resources propaganda wouldn’t be called Public Relations and in use today.